MACABRE punishments, witchcraft, ghoulies and ghosties was all present in Shepshed this month.

MACABRE punishments, witchcraft, ghoulies and ghosties was all present in Shepshed this month.

At a meeting of the Shepshed History Society at the Glenmore Centre, Lynn Mellor, a blue badge guide and speaker, gave a talk on the origins of witchcraft and how it all came into being.

Mrs Mellor said: "The pumpkin amongst other things came to be associated with witchcraft, but it's not an American custom.

"It began with the turnip heads and was taken to the states by British settles where they adopted the idea."

She says pumpkins, then being plentiful in the USA, explains why this vegetable became the tradition we have today.

Marjorie Schulz, from the society, added: "She told us that the pumpkins were put in the window where the lighted candle placed inside, would guide the weary worker and traveller home safe, and the gruesome face would scare away the evil spirits."

Mrs Schulz added the evening continued with some very scary stories about witches and their evil exploits concerning some local famous families.

She added: "Society members had an enthralling evening and were very sorry when the talk came to an end."